Living As An Ex Convict
by Redsparrow3
Summary: After almost bring the entirety of London to its demise, and being sentenced to jail for what seemed like forever. The broken, justice seeking, Clive Dove, has been released on parole, now under the legal guardianship of Professor Hershel Layton, his savior of not once, nor twice, but three consequitive times. Lets's see how this ex convict copes in his new society judged world.


**Author's Note:**

Hey,

I know that it has been almost forever since I've posted or even been on this website, and as a consequence, I have probably lost all of my reader's interest, in which I am truly sorry for.

Going back over my stories, including this one, I have winced and struggled in pain to read my old writing, and I guess that goes to show that maybe, just maybe, my skills have actually improved in my time away from Fanfiction.

I have decided to rewrite all of my stories and my collaborations, excluding 'A Cross Between Reality'. There is also a new collaboration with my friend Daisyline that we are working on, the first chapter to this was posted just under a week ago going by the name of 'Herbal Tea?' which I hope that some of you will have a look at and hopefully enjoy and review.

Read and Review.

….and may the odds be ever in your favor.

Redsparrow3 xx

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Professor Layton or any of its characters.

_Saturday 2nd May_ _(2:30pm)_

Dear excessively unwanted journal of mine,

Here I am, after only half of a year imprisoned in the Scotland Yard, now released and sitting in the corner of a pale blue painted guest room in the house of the famous archeologist Professor Layton.

I was released late last night on parole, Hershel claiming the role of being my legal guardian, and a few hours of heavy paperwork and police checks later, I was free to leave.

On the ride to Hershel Layton's home I refused to say a word, curled up in the Laytonmobile's front passenger seat, vision blurred from unfallen tears as my mind crashed with relief of finally being released from such a place of torture. Prison is not a place for any child to be, although, I believe that society has refused me the privilege of allowing myself to even use my young age as an excuse for not being locked up. I know for a fact that when word gets out of my release, not many people will be pleased. After all, being the seventeen year old teenager who recklessly tried to destroy all of London in a rage of justice, nobody cares as to how I feel.

People simply do not care about me. Not since Constance, and even then, not as much as mother and father once did all those years ago.

After arriving at the house, Layton led me to the guest room across the hall from Luke's bedroom, quietly discussing with me that I could reintroduce myself to them the next day, that now being today, after they had returned from school in the afternoon. All my seemingly paralyzed body could do was nod, glistening eyes watching the man, my savior of not once but twice, retrieve a pair of navy blue and white striped pajamas, placing them beside me on the bed.

"Thank you," I remember croaking, The Professor simply nodding with a warm smile before promptly exiting the room, shutting the door soundlessly behind him.

Last night, I barely slept at all, not because of the creaking, unfamiliarly soft bed, nor the cool breeze emitting from the slightly ajar window either, and it wasn't the pajamas that kept me awake, for they were as soft as cottony fluff. No, it wasn't any of that, it were all due to the thoughts that continuously screamed in my mind. They threw countless memories forward, making them repeat again and again, over and over, leaving me frightfully cowering under the safety of the silky navy blue quilt that lay upon the bed. Even now, late into the day, I remember clearly as to what they were about.

Memories of the explosion that killed mother and father, memories of being beaten in prison, bruised, cut, broken.

Pain.

I was being reminded of times of severe pain, both physical and emotional.

It really does sicken me to know that all, anyone knows me as, is the guy that destroyed London, they don't know who I was in the past, and I don't think they seem to care as to who I am in the future.

I am a puppet and they the puppeteers I can only act to how they please or else there are consequences. They see me through this single event in those clouded mason jars of theirs, they don't even know my side to the story, nor do they even care.

My reputation is ruined, my name dragged through the dirt of shame forever.

I guess that it's time to go meet Luke and Flora now; I solemnly hope that they don't at least entirely hate me. 

Clive Dove 

_Sunday 3rd May (6:15am)_

Dear book of personal thoughts,

Yesterday upon entering the living room where The Professor had gathered Luke and Flora, I felt the sudden urge to turn around and sprint away from them, back into the guest room where I could hide without any further harsh judgment. Although, now of course, I am glad that I instead continued walking into that room, no matter how unsteady my footing may have been, and no matter to how absolutely terrified I was. Approval from these two means almost everything to me, especially after what I put them through, my own personal world of lies and betrayal, formatted from an intense thirst for justice against those single-minded scientists and that corrupt politician Bill Hawkes.

Without any further hesitation I shall begin to recount what happened late last afternoon.

Upon entering the room, a shrill scream echoed, pinpointed from Flora, her face pale, and her body pressed up against The Professor as she hid in fear of my presence.

"Flora, I-…." I began, startled by her reaction, and unsure of what to say.

My nervous gaze flashed to Luke, the boy in which I had tried impersonating, I forced a small smile upon my lips but he turned away from me in a huff, crossing his arms over his chest.

My heart skipped a beat, and I began trembling even more than before, my shaking arms fell across my chest too, trying in desperation to keep myself from falling apart.

"I'm so, so sorry…. Flora, Luke…. I-…. I wasn't myself…." I managed to croak out, knowing that nothing that I could ever say would forgive what I had done to them, and to The Professor.

Luke slowly turned his head back towards me, biting down on his bottom lip, as if in thought. A sneaky smile soon began spreading across his lips and he nodded, springing up from his spot on the couch beside The Professor and Flora, bounding towards me. "I've already forgiven you, Clive…. I think that I understand," He murmured to me quietly, suddenly pulling me into a close hug.

I remember how tense I became, rigid and unable to move, not knowing as to whether I should hug the boy back, or simply stand as he embraced me. In saying that, however, I was more than a little grateful for the act of mercy, and the hug ended all too soon, the moment Luke's arms slipped away from me, leaving me with a feeling of emptiness and longing to feel wanted again, like the acceptance I had found in those few short moments I was held close.

"Thank you, Luke, but I can't accept your forgiveness, not until I've forgiven myself," I remember hearing myself say before glancing back over to Flora and The Professor, nodding my head wearily, finally returning to the guest room, a heavy cloud of defeat hanging overhead of me, the look of terror in Flora's eyes still ringing clear, and the way that Luke had been so quick to forgive a criminal, a murderer like myself, sending my thoughts back into a whir, making me feel both dizzy and sick to the stomach.

I think that The Professor may have come into my room at some point after that, checking to see if I was okay, me being too traumatized by memories to reply to him, and sometime even later than that, Luke came in bringing me a bowl of minestrone soup for tea.

"Goodnight, Clive," He mumbled as I sat up in bed and he handed me the bowl and spoon, "Personally, I think it'll be pretty cool having you live here," He admitted with a smile, taking me completely off guard, "Like having an older brother" and with that he left the room, and even now, in the early hours of the morning, I still can't get the smile off of my face caused by Luke's words last night.

Today I shall try again with Flora, and I won't give up until one day, she finally accepts me and my past as Luke does.

Clive Dove 

**Author's Note:**

Okay, so that was the rewritten version of the first chapter ^-^

I hope that you enjoyed that and decide to leave a review, and maybe even follow the story if you have a Fanfiction account to receive further updates and following chapters.

Thanks for your time, and if you can, please check out my collaboration story, 'Herbal Tea?' as that'd be much appreciated.

Have a lovely day, readers.

Redsparrow3 xx 


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